Freedom Ship
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Freedom Ship was a floating city project initially proposed by Norman Nixon in the late 1990s.[1] It was so named because of the "free" international lifestyle facilitated by a mobile ocean colony, though the project would not have been a conventional ship, but rather a series of linked barges.
The Freedom Ship project envisioned a 1,317m-long integrated city[2] with condominium housing for 50,000 people[3], an airstrip to accommodate turboprop aircraft, duty-free shopping and other facilities, large enough to require rapid transit. The complex would circumnavigate the globe continuously, stopping regularly at ports of call.[4]
Technology
Due to the stresses of hogging and sagging, conventional shipbuilding would be inadequate for a floating complex 1400m in length. The developers have stated that they will use a segmented barge-building technique, giving the hull flexibility and allowing incremental expansion.
Similar projects
Other projects, such as the ResidenSea, have similarly attempted to create mobile communities, though they have conservatively limited themselves to the constraints of conventional shipbuilding. In regards to the economic flexibility and "freedom" created by such mobile settlements, these projects could be considered a realization of the avante-garde Walking City concept from 1964, by British architect Ron Herron of the group Archigram.
Criticism
Despite early press coverage on NPR's Weekend Edition and Discovery Channel's Extreme Engineering, the project has seen few recent developments; although the initially stated in-service date was to be 2001, as of 2009[update] construction had not yet begun. This protracted development schedule and dearth of substantive information has led some on the internet to accuse the Freedom Ship of being a scam, as Norman Nixon initially accepted down payments from interested parties. However, this funding is held in escrow, and Nixon has since stopped accepting reservations.
The social and political structure of the Freedom Ship seems not to have been considered beyond corporate management.
Freedom Ship International initially estimated the net cost for construction to be USD 6 billion in 1999. However, by 2002, estimates had risen to USD 11 billion.[4] The latest update to the corporation's website, in July 2008, was a press release explaining the difficulty of obtaining reliable financial backing, and as of 2008[update] Freedom Ship International has not released the names of any major sponsors.
Additional concern has developed among some as to the general tone and focus of recent news from the company. July 2008 Rather than providing detailed updates on the state of the project the CEO of Freedom Ship detailed the "200" criminals he has come to know as part of the project and the alleged "crime of "racketeering"" of his former person in charge of financing.
Citations
- ^ Robert Trigaux, "Water World", sfgate.com, from St. Petersburg Times, Jul. 5, 1999.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ a b "Floating City". NPR Weekend Edition. 13 April 2002.
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External links
- Official site of Freedom Ship International
- How Stuff Works - Floating Cities A discussion floating cities using Freedom Ship as its example
- Collected Critical Comments on the Freedom Ship project
- Floating Cities, Islands and States A paper using Freedom Ship as an example and providing technical information